Track clamp and brace.



J. T. LUUTZENHIE'aERu TRACK CLAMP AND PEACE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 191s.

Patented July 22, 1913.

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TRACK CLAMP AND BEACH.

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Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented July 22, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JACOB T. Lourzuur-rrsen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track Clamps and Braces; and it do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps and. braces for railway track rails.

Une object of the invention is to provide a brace of this character having an improved construction of rail clamping members whereby the ends of the brace are securely fastened to the railway track rails.

Another object is to provide a rail clamp and brace which will be simple, strong and durable in construction and reliable in operation anll which may be adjusted to vary the length thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully dc section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig.3 is a detail perspective View of one of the outer rail gripping or clamping members; Fig. l is a similar View of the inner rail gripping or clamping member; Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of one of the rails and one of the clamping members, showing more particularly the wedging connection between, the clamp and the end of the adjacent bracing and connecting member.

My improved rail clamp and brace comprises outer rail gripping or clamping members 1 in the form of flat oblong plates, the outer ends of which are bent upwardly and inwardly to form outer flange engaging lugs 2, the upper ends of which engage the outer side of the web or body of the rails and securely brace and hold the latter against spreading or upsetting. ln the plates of the clamping members 1 adjacent to the inner sides of the rails are formed longitudinal slots 3 and in the plates between the ends thereof and the ends of the slots 3 are formed. bolt holes 4 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Adapted to be engaged with the slots 3 1, while the shorter upper arms of the members 5 engage the mner flanges of the track rails as shown. The inner clamping members5 are forced into rigid engagement with the inner flanges of the track rails and the latter securely clamped between the members'. 5 and the lugs Qby wedge shaped lugs 6 formed on and projecting upwardly from the outer ends of bracing and connecting members 7 in the form of rods, the inner end of one of which is provided with a right hand thread and the other with a left hand thread, said threaded ends of the rods or members 7 having an operative engagement with a turn buckle 8 in the form of a sleevehaving one end internally threaded with right hand threads and the other end threaded with left hand threads whereby when said sleeve or turn buckle is turned in one direction or the other the connecting rods 7 will be drawn inwardly or projected outwardly as will be readily understood. When the connecting rods or members 7 have thus been adjusted they are locked in their adjusted positions by jam nuts 9 arranged on the threaded ends thereof adjacent to and adapted to be screwed into engagement with the ends of the sleeve or turn buckle.

The outer ends of the connecting memhere or rods 7 are secured to the inner ends of outer clamping members 1 and the wedge shaped lugs 6 drawn-upwardly through'the inner ends of the slots 3 by clamping bolts 10 which are engaged with the bolt holes 4 in the. inner ends of the members 1 and through similar holes in the adjacent ends of the members 7. The wedge shaped lugs when thus drawn through the slots 3 force the inner clamping members 5 into firm ongagement with the inner flanges of the rails and securely clamp the latter between the lugs 2 of the outer. clamping member and the upper arms of the inner clamping members 5 as will be readily-understood. My improved clamp and brace when constructed and applied to the rails as herein shown and described will securely brace and hold the rails in proper spaced relation and-will prevent the rails from upsetting. From the foregoing descript on taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. A track clamp and brace comprisin outer rail clamping members having therein near their inner ends longitudinal slots and bolt holes, rail engaging lugs formed on the ends of said clamping members, inner rail clamping members engaged with the slots in said outer rail members, connecting rods having wedge shaped lugs adapted to be engaged with the slots in said outer clamping members and with said inner clamping members wherebythe latter are forced into firm engagement with the inner flanges of the rails and the latter gripped between said inner and outer clamping members, and means whereby said connecting members are secured to the outer clamping members and the wedge shaped ends of said connecting members thereof forced through said slots.

2. In a rail clamp and brace, outer rail clamping members comprisin plates having therein near their inner en s longitudinal slots and bolt holes, outer rail flange engaging lugs formed on the outer end of said plates and adapted to engage the outer flanges and outer side of the web of the rails, U-shaped inner clamping members having their upper ends projecting through the slots in said outer clam ing members and engaged with the inner anges ofthe rails,

connecting members having on their outer.

ends wedge shaped lugs to engage the slots in sald outer clamping members whereby the inner clamping members are forced 1nto engagement with .the inner flanges of the bolt holes, rail engaging lugs formed on the ends of said clamping members, inner rail clamping members engaged with the slots in said outerrail members, connecting rods having wedge shaped lugs adapted to be engaged with the slots in said outer clamping members and with said' inner clamping members whereby the latter are forced into firm engagement with the inner flanges of p the rails and the latter gripped between said inner and outer clamping members, bolts engaged with the outer ends of said c0nnect ing rods adjacent to the wedge shaped lugs thereon and with the bolt holes in said outer rail clamping members whereby said wedge shaped ends of the connecting members are drawn into the slots and the inner and outer clamping members forced into gripping engagement with the rails.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB T. LOUTZENHISER.

Witnesses CHARLOTTE MORFORD, GUY THORNE. 

